Buckle



I. H. AND'F. P. KINTZELE.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5, I92I.

Patented Sept. 27, 1921,

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. lowing description, reference being made to UNITED STATES PATENT oFHcE- JULIUS H. KINTZELE AND FELIX r. xm'rznnn, or, s'r. LoUIs, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS TO no MANUFACTURING MISSOURI.

COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent. 5 Patentd Sept, 27, 1921 Application filed July 5, 1921. Serial No. 482,396.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JULIUS H. KINTZELE and FELIX P. KINTZELE, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, citizens of the United States, have invented a new and useful Buckle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to buckles.

An object of the'invention is to provide a buckle for use in connection with belts and the like, embodying a novel construction and arrangement and relationship of parts for permitting an expanding action of the buckle.

Another object of the invention is to pro-' vide a buckle of the character mentioned, in which the engaging or gripping device of the buckle is controlled by novel and et ficient elements.

Other objects will appear from the folthe accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved buckle. i

Fig. 2 is an inner side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a view showing one of the side ed es of the buckle.

*ig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view,

Fig. 5 is an end elevation, showing the gripping or engaging device.

Fig. 6 is a view showing the controlling member for the engaging device detached from the buckle. V

Fig. 7 is a view showing the cooperating controlling member to which one end of the belt is permanently secured, said member also being shown detached from the buckle.

In the embodiment shown, our improved buckle comprises a frontportion 1 having its side edges turned inwardly approximately at right angles'thereto to provide side flanges 2. p

Near one end of thebuckle, the engaging or gripping member is pivotally supported, the same comprising a plate 3 havingprojections 4 on its ends, engaged within holes in the flanges 2. In this way the engaging or gripper plate 3 is piv'otally supported the front portion 10f the buckle. As shown, a

the engaging means of the gripper plate includes a flange 5 turned inwardly from the gripper plate and arranged so that when stress is applied to the belt, the gripperplate 1 str'uction'by which the expanding action. of

the buckle is obtained. The longitudinal central portion of said plate is formed with a spring housing 10, the end of which away from the gripper plate is provided with an inturned portion 11 to serve as an abutment 'or bearing for the end of the expansion spring 12, mounted in the spring housing.

The cooperating member by which expansion is obtained isin the form of a plate, comprising a narrow portion 13 of about the same width as the narrow portion 6 of the other plate described, and a wide loop or eye 14 at one end. :The narrowportion 13 of said plate is formed with a spring housing 15, matching the housing 10 on the other plate, and having an abutment 16 at the inner end thereof to serve as a seat for the end of the spring 12"opposite from the seat 11 on the other plate. This belt connecting plate is located between thefront plate 1 of the belt and the plate that is pivoted to the gripper device 3. I The spring 12 is located within the housing formed in said two plates as described, one end of said spring bear ng against the seat 11 and'the other end ,of'said spring bearlng against'the seat 16.- 1The spring is of the expansion type. One of said plates, in this case. the plate shown in Fig. 6, is provided with a pair of projections'oi. tongues 17 near the arms 8. Theprojections or tongnes 17" are clamped around the side edges of the narrow portion 13 of the cooperating plateythereby supporting the cooperating plate for sliding movement of the buckle. Projections 18 on the sliding plate by contact with the tongues or projections .17, stop and limit expanding movement of the sliding plate.

The eye or wide portion 14 of the sliding plate is of slightly greater width than the width of the front'plate 1 and, by contact with the ends'of the flanges 2, limit inward or contractile movement of the parts.

In use one end of the belt is secured to the eye or belt connecting portion 14 in any appropriate manner. By applying pressure to the pivoted plate 6, with a tendency to actuate said plate in a direction to compress the spring 12, the gripper plate 3 may be turned on its pivots 4 to widen the space between the gripper plate and the front plate 1 of the buckle. When this is done, the free end of the belt may be passed through the buckle, and when in proper position, will be engaged by the gripper plate when the pivoted plate 6 is released.

From the foregoing it is apparent that our invention serves all of its intended purposes and objects. A The device is simple as to construction, includes a minimum number of parts, may be economically manufactured and is strong and durable.

It is apparent that the construction and arrangement may be varied without departure from the principle of the invention.- e do not restrict ourselves to unessential features, but what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A buckle, comprising a front plate, side flanges on the front plate, a gripper plate pivoted to the side flanges, a member pivoted to the gripper plate and having slidingconnections with said flanges, a connecting plate supported by said member for sliding movements, and an expansion spring located between said member and said sliding plate. I

2. A buckle of the character described, comprising a front plate, aflan e extending inwardly from each side edge of the front plate, a gripper plate pivotally sup ported by said flanges, a member pivoted to said gripper plate and having sliding con-. nection with said flanges, a sliding plate supported by said member for sliding movements, a spring seat formed between said member and said sliding plate, a spring located in said spring seat, and a part in connection with said sliding plate abutting against the ends of said flanges and constituting means for connection with a belt.

3. A buckle of the character described, comprising a front plate, side flanges in connection with the front plate, a gripper plate pivoted to the side flanges near one end thereof, a member pivoted to the gripper plate and having sliding connection .with said flanges, a connecting plate supported by said member for sliding movements, a

spring located between said member and said flanges, a sliding connecting plate supported by said member, a spring located between sald member and said sliding connecting plate, and construction whereby the power of said spring is exerted to actuate said gripper plate in a direction to engage a belt located between said plate and the front plate.

5. A buckle of the character described, comprising a front plate, a flange extending inwardly from each side edge of the front plate, a gripper plate pivotally supported by said flanges near one end of the front plate, a laterally extended portion on the gripper plate for engaging a belt located between the gripper plate and the front plate, a member pivoted to the gripper plate and havingv sliding connection with said, flanges, a sliding connecting plate supported by said member, a spring located between said member and said sliding connecting plate, and construction whereby the power of said spring is exerted to actuate said ripper late in a direction to engage a belt ocated. etween said plate and the front plate, with increased pressure as said sliding plate is drawn outwardly.

6. A buckle of the character described, comprising a front plate, a gripper plate pivotally supported thereby and arranged to engage a belt located between the gripper plate and the front plate, a member pivoted to the gripper plate, a sliding connecting plate supported by said member, a spring ocated between said member and said sliding connecting plate, construction whereby the power of said spring is exerted upon- 

